Wittman's account of working undercover for the FBI to recover stolen art is a treasure trove of fascinating, well-told, and informative stories. One learns a great deal about famous art heists and the techniques of undercover investigation. As an audio experience, however, the production sounds a little too adept to be fully satisfying. Wittman worked with co-author Shiffman, and his text has a professional sheen that, chapter by chapter, comes to seem repetitive. Mark Deakins, too, though a skilled narrator, doesn't engage the listener with a distinctive tone, rhythm, or personality for the text, or its protagonist. His pace at times is too rapid for the material, and this also contributes to a sense of flatness. Still, these are not daunting weaknesses, and many will enjoy Wittman's tales of great art looted and recovered.
Pub Date: June 1, 2010
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780307735867
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An intriguing audiobook that melds traditional journalism with an insightful journey of personal discovery.
Eddy called his family every night to say he was leaving work. Then one night in 1987, he never made it home. Through the following decades, his daughter struggled to deal with a loss that fundamentally altered her life’s direction. Vivienne Leheny’s narration is raw, showcasing the author’s ongoing frustration at the unanswered questions that loom large in the story. Her portrayal of the author as a forlorn teenager turned anxious and angry young woman is spot on. Leheny sounds quietly thoughtful when delivering the facts of the case and appropriately outraged at the lack of care taken by the Baltimore police to preserve evidence or pursue meaningful justice.
An intriguing audiobook that melds traditional journalism with an insightful journey of personal discovery.Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 59 mins
DD ISBN: 9781488237249
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2026
An interesting Ozark history that doesn’t quite cohere.
Author Hale presents the case of his young cousin Haley's disappearance on Cave Mountain in 2001 and the ensuing search and rescue operation, the largest in Arkansas history. Hale connects this with the murder of 3-year-old Bethany by a small and isolated religious sect decades earlier on the same mountain. Narrating these two stories in a low, slightly gruff tone, Hale weaves together family anecdotes, Ozark lore, local and broader history, and Christian theology. While the two cases are intriguing, the work lacks focus and contains extraneous details.
An interesting Ozark history that doesn’t quite cohere.Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 9 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063398153
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: March 10, 2026
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